Collapsible line support



April 29, 1952 o. P. wKs 2,595,183

COLLAPSIBLE LINE SUPPORT Filed May 4, 1950 ////N/////l/ /j/ Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a line support.

It is an object of my invention to provide a line support which will collapse when desired and thereby withdraw to an out-of-way position without necessitating the removal of the lines therev from.

Another object of my invention is to provide a collapsible line support adapted to be secured to an overhanging member which will maintain the lines supported thereby in taut condition at all times including when the support is in collapsed position.

Another object is to provide a collapsible line support which will automatically and positively maintain itself in collapsed position once it has been moved thereto.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved line support of cheap and simple construction which will collapse and withdraw the line supported thereby to a raised and out-of-way position.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective view of a line supported by four embodiments of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a single A embodiment of my invention showing the parts more in detail an its collapsed position in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device showing the collapsed position in broken lines.

Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of my invention in its simplest form. As shown, it includes a generally triangularly shaped guide member '5 which has its base portion bent at a right angle to form an abutment member 6. This abutment member 6 is adapted to be secured to an overhanging member 'l by a plurality of screws 8 or by other suitable means so that the apex portion of the abutment member depends from the overhanging member 1. The guide element has a slot 9 extending upwardly from its apex portion and generally in the direction in which the line to be supported is to be extended. This slot 9 terminates at a point spaced vertically from the abutment member E. as best shown in Fig.' 2. Secured`to the guide element 5 is a support bar ID. This support bar o is provided with an aperture through which a pin ll extends to secure the same to the slot 9 of the guide element 5. A Washer l2 and a cotter key 13 serve to maintain the pin l l in its proper position. In this manner the support bar I 0, which is preferably formed of angle iron, is secured to the guide element for both sliding and pivotal movement.

The normally upper end !4 of the support bar n, as shown in Fig. 2, is cut at an angle equal to the angle existing between the support bar u and the abutment member E. The normally lower end !5 of the support bar o is provided with an aperture or other means for securing the line [6 to be supported thereto. In practice two pairs of structures embodying my invention are used with a metal bar ll extending between each pair of line supports. As best shown in Fig. 1 these two metal bars H are arranged so as to be substantially parallel to each other. Each of the bars l'l is provided with a plurality of slots [8 or other suitable means for securing the lines to the bar.

In operation, the abutment plate 6 and its depending guide element 5 are secured to the overhanging member 1 so as to depend therefrom, as best shown in Fig. 2. The support bar lo is then secured to the guide element 5 by inserting the pin ll therethrough and through the slot 9 and securing the same with the Washer I2 and the cotter key [3. The support bars o are moved to lowered or extended position as shown in Fig. 2 and it is then ready to be connected to a similar line support by one of the bars ll. When four of the line supports have been secured to the overhanging member 'l as shown in Fig. 1 and the two bars ll have been secured to the respective support bars n, the line IS may be secured to the bar ll within the slots !8 and drawn taut. Thereafter the lines may remain on the supports indefinitely, since there will be no occasion for removing them unless it is desired to move the entire unit.

When it is desired to move the lines and the supports to raised or collapsed position the user need only push upwardly on the lower end portion |5 of the support bar o until it assumes a substantially horizontal position and abuts against the abutment member 6. As shown in Fig. 2, when moved to this position it is substantially parallel to the abutment member 6. While moving the lower end portion 15 upwardly the lines !6, of course, are constantly pulling inwardly thereon. The efiect of the slot 9 slanting in the same general direction is to permit the pin ll to slide upwardly within the slot until it reaches the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. At all times while the support bar o is being moved to this collapsed position the normally upper end !4 of the support bar o abuts against the abutment member E and slides therealong. When the pin ll reaches the upper end of the slot 9 it acts as a pivot for the support bar m. Since the upper end of the slot 9 terminates at a point vertically spaced from the abutment member E, a distance greater than the thickness of the support bar IO, the lower end' !5 of the support bar will move upwardly beyond dead-center position and abut against the abutment member G. As best shown in Fig. 2 the are described by the lower end portion !5 of the support bar o is such that the lower end l5 moves first outwardly a slight distance and then again inwardly so that the lines 16 are first caused to be extended slightly and later -on are slightly relaxed.

When the support bar l moves to over-deadcenter position it automatically provides a positive means for retaining' itself and its supported lines in the raised collapsed position. The taut lines 16 continue to pull inwardly on the support bar ID and thereby provide positive resistance toward any downward movement of the support bar !0 since such movement would necessarily be accompam'ed by a stretching of the lines in View of the arc described. Thus it can readily be seen I have provided a positive automatic means for retaining the entire support in a collapsed and out-of-way position.

This retention means, however, is not sufficient to oer any serious resistance when a user grasps the bars ll and pulls downwardly thereupon with an appreciable amount of force. When such is done' the support bar [0 will again move to` extendedposition with the pin ll sliding downwardly to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. The upper end portion !4 of the support bar l will continuously abut against the abutment portion 6 and slide along the same until the pin H reaches the bottom of the slot 9. Thereafter it serves as an anchor for the support bar I& to prevent its pivotal movement on the pin ll.

It can readily be seen that my line support will at all times maintain the lines !6 in taut condition. Moreover it is not necessary to remove the lines from my support at any time since they can be quickly and easily moved to an out-ofway position by collapsing the support in the manner described above.

It should be noted that my device is of cheap and simple Construction and provides a line support which is readily available when desired and which can be quickly and easily moved to a collapsed and out-of-Way position when desired. It has been found that it is not even necessary to remove clothes from the line IE when-the line support is moved to raised position. In practise each of the supports to be used may be made in the manner shown in Fig. 2 or they may be made in a manner to provide both left and right hand extending supports. In the latter case the support bars lfl of each pair would beon the inside of the guide elements 5. This is the preferable manner of use but if desired two embodiments of the type shown in Fig. 2 may be used' in each pair.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible line support comprising an elongated abutment member adapted to be secured to an overhanging member, a support bar adapted to have the line tautly connected thereto in one direction and having an abutment portion adjacent its normally upper end for abutting against said abutment member while said line support is in extended position and a guide element depending from said abutment member and having a guide passage carried thereby, said guide passage extending upwardly and in the general direction in which said line extends relative to said support bar and terminating short of said abutment member a distance at least equal to one half the thickness of said support bar, said support barbeing slidably and pivotally connected to said guide element by Way of said guide passage whereby said support bar may be moved from depending position relative to said guide element to a substantially horizontal overdead-center and collapsed position against said abutment member with said line remaining tautly connected thereto to provide an effective means for automatically retaining said support bar in collapsed position.

2. A collapsible line support .comprising an elongated abutment member adapted to be secured beneath an overhanging member, a guide element depending from said abutment member and consisting of a plate with an elongated slot formed therethrough, said slot extending upwardly toward said abutment member and in the general direction in which the line is to extend from the support, a support bar slidably and pivotally connected by its medial portion to said guide element by way of said slot and extending from said guide element in a direction generally opposite from the direction the line is to extend, said support bar having an abutment portion adjacent its normally upper end for abutment against said abutment member while the line support is in extended position and having its lower end adapted to have the line tautly connected thereto, said slot terminating short of said abutment member a distanc greater than one half the thickness of said support bar whereby said support bar may be moved from depending position relative to said guide element to a substantially horizontal over-deadcenter and collapsed position against said abutment member with said line remaining tautly connected thereto to provide an effective means for automatically retaining said support bar in collapsed position.

ORVILLE P. WICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date- 2,458,6l8 McDonald Jan. 11, 1949 2,486,035 Koester Oct. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,810 Great Britain 1901 

